Out of the Crowd: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering the Art of Standing Out

By Richard Mwebesa

Ever thought about why some people have everything going for them while others have absolutely nothing to show for their honest and decent hard work? This book is a simply-written and easy to read collection of valuable guidelines that reveal the secrets that define outstanding people. In it are seven practical elements that are constants for those people who are outstanding, with real-life context based on the author’s experience.
Find out why some lead and others follow, why some display perpetual greatness where others identify with mediocrity. This book is the ultimate guide to mastering how to be outstanding. Contained in its pages are:
• 3 keys to unlock your authentic identity
• 5 character traits that define those who are outstanding
• 7 winning behaviors
• 6 initiative catalysts
• 11 pillars to enable you stay relevant
• 2 imagination barriers and 3 tactics to un-cage your imagination
• 13 perseverance achievement hacks
This book will open you up to possibilities to enable you work towards developing your authentic identity and unique personal brand. Explore why some people stand out and soar out of the crowd to become specialist generalists, while others remain mysterious anomalies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781796089240

Richard Mwebesa

Richard Mwebesa is a voice of inspiration. He is a certified Business Professional Master Executive, holds an MBA and is a seasoned marketing, business development and sales professional with vast experience in those fields. He currently works with a leading diversified financial services group in East and Central Africa. He has worked with leading brands in Uganda in the Insurance and Technology space and does consultancy work with the Insurance Training College of Uganda (ITC). He is passionate about developing systems and unlocking potential within others. He lives in the East African country of Uganda with his wife Joan and their four children; Gideon, Deborah, Jonathan and Aquila.

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Copyright © 2020 by Richard Mwebesa.

ISBN:       Softcover             978-1-7960-8911-0

                 eBook                   978-1-7960-8924-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved and the HOLY BIBLE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Bibilica Inc. Used by permission by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 02/25/2020

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CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1   DISTINGUISHED BY AN AUTHENTIC IDENTITY

CHAPTER 2   DRIVEN BY PASSION

CHAPTER 3   CHARACTER IS THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF GREATNESS

CHAPTER 4   THE INITIATIVE CATALYSTS

CHAPTER 5   RELEVANCE IS THE SUSTENANCE

OF THE OUTSTANDING

CHAPTER 6   IMAGINATION IS THE ANCHOR OF THE OUTSTANDING

CHAPTER 7   DEFINED BY PERSEVERANCE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

T HIS BOOK WOULD not have been possible without the support, encouragement and guidance of my family, mentors and friends. I specifically wish to express unreserved special thanks to three individuals, who steadfastly walked with me and shared in my vision for this piece of work.

My wife, Mrs. Joan Balondemu Mwebesa, has been a pillar in my life, and her unwavering commitment to this project was without comparison. She gave this work insightful direction to ensure that the final product is a credible literary work grounded on sound deduction and practical applications. Many are the times when we worked late into the night, toiled for long hours and I got immersed in writing this book as a priority. Her patience and comfort throughout that time was priceless. She continuously motivated me to keep on, cheering me on even when I hit a writer’s wall of blankness. She truly was the fuel that fired the passion to stay focused and complete this book. For that, I am forever grateful and will always love her.

My spiritual leader, Prophetess Bibiana Wangari Macharia, interceded on my behalf with prayers. Her spiritual guidance, committing both me and this work to God for the realization of my heart’s desire, gave me strength and fired up my faith. I thank her for her spiritual support by helping me claim this portion, which is a testimony of accomplishment for which I will continue glorifying God. May the Almighty Jehovah bless her abundantly, and continue using His servant to be a blessing to His flock. Amen!

Mr. Pepe Minambo inspired me a great deal to make this book a reality. His guidance and advice were instrumental in bringing out the writer in me. I believe that our paths did not cross by a coincidence, but was part of a greater scheme of things in God’s plan. I thank him for his mentorship and believing in me.

FOREWORD

R ICHARD MWEBESA IS a committed and honest person who has fought the tides of life but even in life’s journey has managed to stay true to himself.

Out of the Crowd is a well-crafted analogy of life. Often a times as young people even our adult selves get caught up in this web of life that when asked who are you? We do not even quite know ourselves. Knowing yourself implies giving yourself permission to not know whilst unravelling the deeper truth of who you are. It is about listening to a deeper calling and wisdom within, whilst following your heart. It is about being aware of your core values, priorities and dreams.

The book is a reflection and re-evaluation of our lives, a chance to stop and reflect, to pause and ask questions we are always avoiding to ask or are too busy and sometimes afraid to answer. The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment – Anthony Robins. To achieve something in such a way that you realize the impacts of your action or simply the actualization of your imaginations, whether at your job, business, relationship or be it your daily life, you need to wake up with determination and vow to fall through with whatever is you have to do; commit! So that you are able to impactfully transform your life and the lives of those around you.

The book is a helpful guide with clear examples of personalities of individuals that have fought past their insecurities, family backgrounds and busy schedules so as to discover themselves and stand out of the crowd.

It offers a guided questionnaire and guidelines that will help you find your niche thus helping you to stand out of the crowd. Remember, you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out and always give people a reason to remember you. It’s a book worthy of your time.

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Francis Xavier Sentamu

District Governor 2019/2020

Rotary International District 9211 (Tanzania and Uganda)

DEDICATION

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK to my children Gideon Mwebesa, Christine Deborah Namara, Jonathan Mwebesa and Aquila Valerie Kasukali Wangari Ayebare; my late mother Margaret Mary Kasukali (R.I.P); and my father, Retired Colonel Sezi Mugasi.

You all inspired me and have shaped my path in life as a father and a son. I cannot thank you enough.

With lots of love I dedicate this book to the World, the millennials, all the people in my generation and all generations that shall read this carefully written work. My prayer is that this book shall spark a fire within you to hunger and thirst for greatness, to live authentic lives and transform your dreams into realities.

INTRODUCTION

E VERY DAY, WITH each sunrise and sunset, we mark a milestone, because with that sequence, days, weeks and years come to pass. And as the days pass, we make choices or they are made for us. It is these choices that lead us onto particular paths, which are then woven into significant threads that determine the direction of our lives, and ultimately our destiny.

Each and every one of us has been created by the Almighty God with a grand mission in this life. No one is born a failure. Everyone is born with the potential to become the greatest they can ever be. We are purposed to stand out in our fullest possibility, firm and fantastic human beings in the best way we are meant to be.

But the fact remains that not everyone gets to live the life they were created to live and realize their fullest possibility, because they did not have the opportunity to find out what their grand mission is, which most times is defined as their calling. In such cases, we have answers to the wrong questions, which are disguised as correct.

This book provides a fresh perspective, unpacks with clear and specific detail and provides a guide to mastering how to be outstanding. Within the pages are stories of people who stand out of the crowd and what they continually do to make that possible. It underlines the common characteristics of outstanding people and clearly spells out what anyone who wishes to stand out of the crowd should consciously, deliberately and cautiously do to demonstrate to themselves and the world that they are special, unique and wired for greatness. It points out the outlays of time and amplifies the narratives of what others see as flaws and limitations yet they are the very elements that one leverages to become who they truly are meant to be. This book also demystifies the narrative of what I call the perfect imperfections of greatness.

It is never late to have a transformational life. I have come to learn that realizing one’s potential in life is possible at any point and at any age. You can start living the life you were meant to live today. If you are already living that life, you can realize much more fulfillment and accomplishment from it and have an impact on others for a greater good. You will have a life full of adventure and a glimpse of those who stood out of the crowd, and understand the context of what makes them outstanding. You will discover that the secret has mostly been hidden in plain sight all along, something that is often perceived as obvious. You will appreciate that standing out is about the depth you go to so that you can soar to greater heights.

Welcome aboard and join us on a journey of standing out. I sincerely thank you for investing time to read every word that marks a milestone towards this pleasant destination. The step you have taken is a leap into an insightful where you will be able to think deeper and more broadly, where you will encounter a paradigm shift and redirect your mindset from the ordinary to action-oriented consciousness like those who stand out. You too are among the shining stars, you just have not manifested yet.

The Bible says in Philippians 2:15 that, So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.

May God bless you mightily!

Richard Mwebesa

CHAPTER 1

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DISTINGUISHED BY AN

AUTHENTIC IDENTITY

Authenticity is about being true to who you are.

- Michael Jordan

W E LIVE IN a highly competitive world, with many people blessed with diverse capabilities. Today, the global population stands at almost eight billion people, hence, standing out of that crowd is not particularly easy. However, many people have nonetheless distinguished themselves and stood out in this big crowd. You too can stand out and soar. You can become that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has conceived, because you are uniquely designed and outstandingly distinct from everyone else in the world.

People who stand out are described by such adjectives like champion, star, superstar, winner… the list is endless.

There is nothing

so powerful and a

key enabler for one

to stand out of the

crowd like having an

authentic identity.

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There is nothing so powerful and a key enabler for one to stand out of the crowd like having an authentic identity.

The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘identity’ as who or what somebody/something is; while ‘authentic’ is defined as known to be real and what somebody claims it is and not a copy. ‘Authentic’ therefore denotes originality.

Authentic identity thus is what enables one to be their true self. Our identities are shaped by a number of factors, including the environment. I know of a person today who is regarded as one of the greatest business leaders in East Africa because he seized an opportunity and bought shares in a company that was winding up because he was the accountant of that company at the time. Being part of that environment exposed him to the opportunity and today, he is a billionaire because he was within the circle of that environment.

Education also shapes identities. It is a known fact, for instance, that professionals who graduate from particular universities or people who live in certain communities behave and think differently from other similar groups. Their schooling and environments have a lot to do with this. It also goes without saying that cultures determine our identities. People from certain tribes or regions can easily be identified by their physical features, habits and attitudes.

Religion, as well, has an identifying influence on people. Adherents of some religions come across as humble and understated; while followers of some religions may be identified as aggressive, assertive or unrelenting. The power and infleunce of identity cannot be underrated.

Identity is so important

that it is ingrained in

the very fabric of our

existence and within

our DNA that we all

seek to be identified,

so much that not being

identified leaves us

hanging in the balance,

without any foundation

with a possibility of

falling into oblivion.

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Even at the geopolitical level, nations strive to stand out through the unique identity of their citizens, and spend millions of dollars annually to ratify, validate, document, formalize and even celebrate those identities through issuance of passports, national identification cards and marking of national days. American author Richard Grant observed that, The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.

Identity is so important that it is ingrained in the very fabric of our existence and within our DNA that we all seek to be identified, so much that not being identified leaves us hanging in the balance, without any foundation with a possibility of falling into oblivion. Identity is as important as life itself, and the purpose that life holds for us is that if one is not by the basic form being named, then they are nonexistent. In all societies in the world, when a child is born, the parents – and sometimes the communities - select a name for the child carefully because it is that name that would constitute the first form of the child’s identity as a person. Some communities celebrate and throw parties for child-naming, recognizing the importance of providing an identity for the newborn. The significance of identity manifests in how some people with particular identities get to enjoy certain rights, privileges and distinguishable lifestyle.

For someone to stand

out of the crowd, one

has to display their

true default uniqueness

and authentic identity.

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Having a name is one thing, but having a good one is everything. Proverbs 22:1 says that, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver